This Stuffed Chicken Caprese Sandwich is our favorite summer grill recipe! Chicken breasts stuffed with fresh mozzarella, basil, and tomato, marinated in a balsamic reduction, grilled, and made into a delicious chicken sandwich. Amazing!
What’s in a Chicken Caprese Sandwich?
Inspired by classic caprese, this sandwich is stuffed with grilled chicken, tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella for the perfect summer sandwich!
- Balsamic Vinegar: The base of the balsamic glaze. Choose a high-quality vinegar, as this will be the dominant flavor in the marinade.
- Honey: Sweetens the balsamic glaze. You could also use agave or maple syrup.
- Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for the best results. You can also use thighs, but the pockets may be smaller.
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper, and garlic powder help flavor the chicken.
- Tomato: Slices of fresh tomato work best for stuffing.
- Mozzarella: Choose a large, fresh mozzarella ball for the best results.
- Basil: Fresh large basil leaves work best, but you could use dried basil in a pinch.
- Buns: Choose a hefty burger bun to hold all of the filling!
Pro Tip: If you’re short on time, skip the vinegar and honey and instead use store-bought or leftover homemade balsamic glaze.
Variations on a Caprese Chicken Sandwich
There are so many fun ways to change up these sandwiches. Try using a flavored balsamic vinegar, like raspberry or truffle. Swap the seasonings for your favorite seasoning blend, like Italian seasoning. Add some crushed red pepper flakes for a bit of spice. You could even swap the mozzarella cheese for feta cheese for a fun twist!
Nope! You can grill the chicken breasts or cook them in a frying pan on the stovetop. Either method works well!
I find that chicken breasts are much easier to stuff than thighs. If you only have thighs, you can add less filling or chop up the filling to fit more easily.
If you want to get ahead of things, you can stuff the chicken breasts up to a day ahead of time and keep them covered in the fridge.
I do not recommend freezing these sandwiches or even just the chicken, as the cheese and tomatoes do not freeze well.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover stuffed chicken caprese sandwiches in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through.
What to Serve with a Balsamic Chicken Caprese Sandwich
These stuffed chicken caprese sandwiches are great served on traditional hamburger buns or on rosemary focaccia. Top them with pesto, garlic aioli, or more balsamic glaze. Add some caramelized onions for a richer flavor. Serve them with a whole host of sides, from salad to French fries to roasted vegetables. I love mine with garlic parmesan fries and crispy roasted asparagus!
Stuffed Chicken Caprese Sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 cups balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and garlic powder to taste
- 4 slices tomato
- 8 slices fresh whole milk mozzarella
- 8 leaves fresh basil
- 4 Cobblestone Bread Co.™ hamburger buns we used the Sesame Twist…yum!
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, heat the vinegar and honey over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, stirring regularly. When it starts to thicken and has reduced by about half (approximately 10 minutes), remove from the heat and set aside.2 cups balsamic vinegar, 3 tablespoons honey
- Season each chicken breast with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Cut each breast lengthwise, but not all the way, forming a “pita” shape. This is where you will place the mozzarella, basil, and tomato later.4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and garlic powder
- Place the chicken in two large ziplock bags and pour some of the balsamic reduction into each bag, reserving a small amount for garnish. Allow to marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before grilling.
- When ready to grill, spray your cooking grid with nonstick spray or brush with canola oil. Stuff each chicken with one slice tomato, 2 leaves basil, and 2 slices fresh mozzarella. Use a toothpick to seal the opening if desired, this will make flipping the chicken easier.4 slices tomato, 8 slices fresh whole milk mozzarella, 8 leaves fresh basil
- Grill the chicken over medium-high heat, approximately 450°F, for 5-7 minutes on each side, or until the chicken is cooked through. This will depend on the thickness of the chicken you picked. When the chicken is white throughout, it’s done!
- Place chicken onto the bottom bun and drizzle with a bit more of the reserved balsamic reduction. Top with the top part of the bun.4 Cobblestone Bread Co.™ hamburger buns
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Use a sharp pairing knife to cut a pocket in the chicken. Be sure not to cut all the way through.
- Don’t be shy with the cheese, but also don’t overstuff the cheese into the chicken breast pocket.
- When seasoning the chicken, I usually use about one teaspoon of salt per pound of chicken.
- To check the doneness of the chicken, use an instant-read meat thermometer. When it reaches 165°F degrees you’re good to plate up!
Nutrition Information
More Caprese Recipes We Love
- Grilled Caprese Chicken
- Caprese Stuffed Salmon
- Caprese Salad
- Chopped Caprese Salad
- Caprese Farro Salad
- Caprese Pasta Bake
- Caprese Chicken Lasagna
- Mini Caprese Tarts
- Caprese Dip
This is a good recipe for us busy nerds. Thank you becky for putting it together
Any recommend method for cooking inside, When grilling isn’t available ?
These look so fantastic! Can’t wait to try them!
look so good, yummy
Sorry, Becky but your website is so busy and loaded down with advertising that I always get an error and are reloading the page so I am unsubscribing. I can’t seem to get to any recipe because of the error and reloading page.
Looks good. Will try it
Hey Becky, that is probably the best way of cooking them, I do not know why you need to boil the vinegar but I can say it works wonders for the chicken. I did it with pineapple slices and a hot chipotle guacamole on top but that is just personal preference.
seriously though…. LOVE this idea!